Avoin

What Avoin does

Avoin (legal name Avoin ry) is a Finnish not-for-profit association founded in August 2018 and headquartered at Rantakatu 9 A 7, Porvoo, Finland. The organization develops open-source digital solutions for sustainable development, anchored by Avoin Map, a virtual mapping platform that displays environmental location data and supports sustainable decisions across land use, protection, restoration, forest management, and farming. Product portfolio extends across domain-specific mapping applets (Forest Map, Agricultural Map, Energy Map, Carbon Map, Zoning Map), standalone calculators and tools (Forest Calculator, Silva Forest Calculator, Forest Health Calculator, Lifestyle Calculators, Digioptimi, SARV, OKAS, GHG.EE, SOLA), and the Forest Kids multilingual educational game published by the FAO. Customers include farmers, forest owners, city planners, zoning officers, building owners, housing companies, Estonian architects and engineers, Finnish municipalities and wellbeing services counties, and global educators and children.

The technology stack is open-source and built on peer-reviewed scientific models, integrating ESA Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, Finnish Forest Centre open forest data, the Finnish Environment Institute's Vemala water runoff model, and the Solagro Carbon Calculator. Avoin operates proprietary ML capabilities including a forest biomass/carbon prediction model, AI-powered land cover classification, and the Continuous Change Detection and Classification (CDDC) algorithm for satellite-based land cover change detection. Delivery platforms include web-based map applications and Microsoft Power BI dashboards for SOLA and the Forest Health Calculator.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded. Avoin generates no direct user revenue; products are free. Operating funds come from grants and project funding (Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, EIT Raw Materials, ESA, Business Finland, EU Horizon Europe and Horizon programs, Ålandsbanken's Baltic Sea Project, Kone Foundation, Baltic Sea Action Plan Fund/Nefco, Estonian Ministry of Climate, and Finnish Regional Development Centers) plus donations from individuals and organizations. In February 2024 the association established two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Avoin App and Avoin Games, to conduct commercial activities (mobile/web applications and game development), and Avoin ry holds a Finnish money collection permit (RA/2024/46). Geographic reach spans Finland, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, and additional European and international research markets through FAO, ESA, and EU consortium channels.

Name

Avoin

Legal name

Avoin ry

Website

https://avoin.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Avoin is a Finnish not-for-profit association developing open-source digital sustainability tools, including the Avoin Map virtual mapping platform, environmental calculators, and the Forest Kids educational game, serving farmers, forest owners, planners, municipalities, and educators across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability and Environmental Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAAAFAO

Farm Finance, Input Procurement & Risk Tools (Budgeting, Inventory, Insurance Links)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Equipment & Technology/Precision Agriculture & Farm Management Software (GIS, IoT, Telematics)

SECONDARYEUABABAA

Afforestation, Reforestation & Revegetation (ARR)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Carbon & Climate Solutions (Carbon Markets, Offsets, CCS/CCUS)/Carbon Project Development & Origination (Nature-based & Tech-based)

Keywords

• Open-source mapping software
• Sustainable development platforms
• Environmental data analytics
• Carbon footprint calculators
• Geospatial visualization tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Porvoo

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support development of digital products. Donation form available on website with preset amounts (€10, €25, €50, €100, €250) and custom amounts. Donations visible on Donor Wall unless made anonymous.
2. Project Funding and Grants: Funded by Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, EIT Raw Materials, Regional Development Centers, ESA, Business Finland, European Union Horizon programs, Baltic Sea Project by Ålandsbanken, Kone Foundation, and other institutional funders.
3. Subsidiary Companies: Founded subsidiary companies Avoin App (2/2024) and Avoin Games (2/2024) fully owned by Avoin association for commercial activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Avoin develops and distributes open-source digital solutions for sustainable development, with its flagship Avoin Map virtual mapping platform displaying environmental location data for land use, forestry, agriculture, energy, and zoning planning. The portfolio extends into standalone emission and impact calculators (Forest Calculator, OKAS, SARV, Digioptimi, Lifestyle Calculators), the SOLA social impact budgeting dashboard for municipalities, and the Forest Kids educational game published with FAO and ESA. All products are free to users and built on peer-reviewed open scientific data.

Product overview

Avoin is a Finnish not-for-profit association that develops open-source digital solutions for sustainable development. Its portfolio consists of a core virtual mapping platform (Avoin Map) with multiple domain-specific mapping applets (Forest Map, Agricultural Map, Energy Map, Carbon Map, Zoning Map), standalone calculators (Forest Calculator, Silva Forest Calculator, Forest Health Calculator, Lifestyle Calculators, Digioptimi, SARV, OKAS), a social impact tool (SOLA), an educational game (Forest Kids), and emerging offerings (Avoin E-Learning, Avoin Care, HOLOSEU). All products are open-source and free to use, built on peer-reviewed scientific models, with a focus on environmental data transparency for agriculture, forestry, zoning, and energy sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Avoin Map: A virtual mapping tool for sustainable development displaying environmental location data for land use, protection, restoration, forest management, and farming.
• Forest Kids
• OKAS
• SARV
• GHG.EE
• SOLA
• Avoin E-Learning

Products and services

• Avoin Map Avoin's flagship open-source virtual mapping platform for sustainable development, combining open-source environmental data with digital management tools. Presents environmental data in an approachable map interface with applets for farmers, forest owners, building owners, and zoning officers to support green transition planning and monitoring based on transparent scientific models.
• Forest Map An open-source mapping tool assessing the environmental impact of a forest, including carbon balance, biodiversity, and water impact over the forest lifecycle. Presents forest modelling based on open spatial data from the Finnish Forest Centre and enables data refinement and forest planning.
• Agricultural Map An open-source mapping tool assessing the profitability, carbon and water footprints, biodiversity, and water impacts of a farm and region, based on open statistical and spatial data along with landowner-provided details.
• Energy Map An open-source mapping tool for assessing building emissions and recommending energy renovations, presenting emission estimates and lifecycle assessments based on open spatial data. Enables data refinement and collaboration between housing companies.
• Carbon Map A digital map service for sustainable zoning, enabling zoning officers to evaluate soil and vegetation climate impacts of zoning plans. Created in collaboration with Finnish Environment Institute and Natural Resources Institute Finland.
• Zoning Map A digital map applet that helps zoning officers evaluate the soil and vegetation climate impact of zoning plans and create more sustainable plans. Enhanced with biodiversity and socioeconomic metrics and scaled internationally using open-source Avoin Map technology.
• Forest Kids A multilingual mobile and desktop game published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with support from the European Space Agency and Avoin's technical assistance. Teaches children about forest biodiversity worldwide across tropical, boreal, temperate, and arid biomes.
• Lifestyle Calculators Free household emissions calculators developed in the EU 1.5° Lifestyles project for Hungary and Latvia. Based on customizable emission factor databases, helping households calculate consumption emissions through regionalised and interactive online tools.
• SOLA A digital tool making social impact budgeting visible, strategic, and accessible. Enables municipalities and wellbeing counties to assess long-term social and economic impacts of policy decisions through data-driven visualization and planning using Microsoft Power BI.
• Forest Health Calculator A national online tool to estimate the public health impacts of forest exposure, delivered as a visual Power BI web dashboard. Based on open data from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Finnish Forest Center, and models by Sosped Center, University of Jyväskylä, University of Helsinki, and Natural Resources Institute Finland.
• Digioptimi An open-access and free online calculator that estimates the energy consumption and emissions of software, artificial intelligence, and digital devices. Based on measurements, open emission databases, and region-specific emission factors, providing recommendations for optimising energy use and reducing emissions.
• Avoin E-Learning Avoin's first e-learning course featuring ethical foundation models for sustainable development and inclusion. The SDG Challenge educates and experiments with AI solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, promoting responsible development of geospatial, climate, education, and medical AI.
• SARV A Carbon Footprint quantification tool for architects and engineers, created for TalTech. An open-source emission calculator supporting sustainable construction based on an open emission factor database, helping architects calculate emissions of building materials.
• Silva Forest Calculator A calculator providing information on the effects of forest management methods on water bodies, profitability of forestry, and climate, published by Silva (association for continuous cover forestry) with Avoin's technical assistance.
• Forest Calculator A free online forest calculator helping landowners compare water quality, carbon impact, and profitability of different forestry methods using open forest data, supporting sustainable forest management particularly on peatlands.
• OKAS A GHG Accounting tool for enterprises and organisations, created for TalTech. Builds upon an open emission factor database for research institutions and IT companies, allowing companies to calculate emissions with transparency in methodology, factors, and accuracy level.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000+ unique players engaged with Forest Kids educational game
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability11 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

37 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAO partnership includes Land Use Change Detection Project (LUCDP), Forest Kids educational game production, and algorithm development for forest cover filtering from satellite images. FAO is a key strategic partner for global sustainability initiatives.
• European Space Agency (ESA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESA supports Forest Kids game and Forest Map development. ESA Business Incubation Centre Finland supported Avoin Map development. Partnership provides satellite data (Copernicus) and technical collaboration.
• Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Carbon Map project, Vemala water runoff models integration, and zoning climate impact assessment tools. Co-created Zoning Map Finnish prototype.
• Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Carbon Map, ReLive circular farming project, and multiple agricultural modeling initiatives. Contributed carbon calculation methods for farming on peatland fields.
• Finnish Forest CentrecoreTechnology or IntegrationLicensed Arvometsä forest model for Avoin Map (8/2018). Provides open forest data integrated into Forest Map and Avoin Map forestry tools.
• Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on GHG.EE, OKAS, and SARV emission calculator tools. TalTech hosts open-source GHG quantification tools for Estonian organizations. Partnership started 4/2023.
• University of HelsinkimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster's students collaborated on LUCDP remote sensing project. Partnership for forest optimization research and open farm data initiatives.
• University College Dublin (UCD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in ReLive international research project on circular mixed farming. Partner in HOLOSEU EU-wide farm assessment tool development.
• Sykli OymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on Digioptimi project for digital device emissions calculator. Sykli is the implementing partner for the Uusimaa region project.
• GreenDependent InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on EU 1.5° Lifestyles project developing household emissions calculators for Hungary and Latvia.
• Zala BrīvībamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on EU 1.5° Lifestyles project for Latvian citizen carbon calculator development.
• German Aerospace Center (DLR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in DIGI-GROW digital twin for agrivoltaics project. Collaborating on simulation and decision-support web platform development.
• Bettergy SL R&DmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in DIGI-GROW project for agrivoltaic system optimization.
• Ege UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in DIGI-GROW project, providing agronomic expertise for dual-use land optimization.
• GreenstepmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOutsourced partner for SOLA Power BI dashboard development and Forest Health Calculator. Provides sustainability consulting.
• SosPed CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in SOLA social impact budgeting tool and Forest Health Calculator development. Contributes social quality theory expertise.
• ReInventEducationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on SDG Challenge ethical AI futures project for e-learning course and data challenge development.
• University College Dublin (UCD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in HOLOSEU project for EU-wide farm assessment tool. Coordinates international consortium.
• University of AugsburgmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in HOLOSEU project for agricultural assessment platform development.
• Fraunhofer-GesellschaftmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in HOLOSEU project bringing research expertise to agricultural assessment tools.
• Yozgat Bozok UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in HOLOSEU project for agricultural practices assessment.
• University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest (USAMV)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in HOLOSEU project for agricultural assessment platform.
• Institute of Agrophysics – Polish Academy of SciencesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in HOLOSEU project contributing agricultural research expertise.
• Prudence College DublinmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ReLive circular farming research project.
• GFZ PotsdammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ReLive project for circular mixed farming assessment.
• INRAEmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ReLive project from France.
• University of WageningenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ReLive circular farming project from Netherlands.
• Tartu Observatory – University of TartumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ReLive and HOLOSEU projects providing earth observation expertise.
• AGResearchmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ReLive project from New Zealand.
• University of ChilemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ReLive project from Chile.
• D-matmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMethodological partner for EU 1.5° Lifestyles Lifestyle Calculators project.
• University of JyväskylämajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Forest Health Calculator project providing wellbeing research models.
• The Finnish Nature League (Luontoliitto)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Forest Health Calculator project for national online tool development.
• HavenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOutsourced partner for Forest Health Calculator Power BI dashboard.
• University of HelsinkimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for forest owner decision-making optimization in Avoin Map project.
• Association for Continuous Cover Forestry in FinlandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublisher of Silva Forest Calculator with Avoin's technical assistance. Partner in Forest Calculator project.
• Forest Service ArvometsäcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides forest modeling powered by Arvometsä for Avoin Map. Licensed forest model for Avoin Map (8/2018).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Pachama: Pachama combines satellite imagery and AI to verify forest carbon credits. Like Avoin, it leverages geospatial and ML capabilities for forest carbon, but focuses on carbon credit market infrastructure rather than open public-good tooling.
• Watershed: Watershed provides enterprise carbon accounting and reduction software. It overlaps with Avoin's OKAS/SARV calculators and Digioptimi (digital emissions), but operates commercially at larger enterprise scale.
• Sylvera: Sylvera provides carbon ratings and forestry data analytics using satellite imagery. It overlaps with Avoin's forest biomass ML model and Carbon Map, but operates on a commercial subscription model rather than open-source.
• Persefoni: Persefoni is a carbon accounting platform for enterprises. It is comparable to Avoin's OKAS, SARV, and GHG.EE calculator tools, but targets enterprise climate accounting rather than municipal/sectoral open-source use cases.

Regional players

• Solargis: Solargis provides solar and meteorological data and modeling — relevant to Avoin's Energy Map and agrivoltaics (DIGI-GROW) work. Both are European-headquartered geospatial environmental data companies, though Solargis focuses on solar energy rather than broad sustainability.

Direct peers

• Vizzuality: Vizzuality builds open data visualization platforms for environmental and conservation applications, including Global Forest Watch. It is highly comparable to Avoin in its open-source approach, geospatial visualization focus, and partnerships with global institutions like WRI and UN agencies.
• Open Climate Fix: Open Climate Fix is an open-source AI organization focused on climate and energy forecasting using satellite data. It mirrors Avoin's open-source ML-on-Copernicus approach and its mission-driven non-profit structure.
• Global Forest Watch (WRI): Global Forest Watch is a WRI initiative providing open-source forest monitoring using satellite data. It directly parallels Avoin's Forest Map and Forestry ML capabilities, and both target similar users (forest owners, policymakers) with transparent forest data.

Broad incumbents

• Planet Labs: Planet Labs operates a large commercial satellite imagery and analytics platform used widely for agricultural and environmental monitoring. It is a broader incumbent comparable to Avoin's Sentinel-2/Copernicus-driven agricultural and forestry tools, but at vastly greater scale.
• Mapbox: Mapbox is a commercial mapping and location platform powering many geospatial applications. Avoin Map's underlying mapping capability overlaps with Mapbox's offering, though Avoin focuses on sustainability-specific applets rather than general developer tooling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/avoin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buttonprogram-org
• Instagraminstagram.com/avoinassociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Avoin